New Ulm weekly review., 1887-09-21
CURTIS CONCLUSIONS.

CURTIS CONCLUSIONS.
In Regard to Matters Closely Connect
ed with Prof table Pig Culture.
Ionce knew a bunch of pigs which
can in a field, ate grass, and rooted q
little; were fed little shelled corn
scattered on the ground, and two meals
of slop made of water and wheat mid
llings, says r. D. Curtis, writing to the
Country Gentleman. There were near
y score of them, and they were thrifty
md pictures of health. They slept un-
der shed all enclosed, except an open
ioor in the middle, through which they
entered. Their bed was dry. and a
fresh lot of straw once in while made
it inviting. Here was real pig para
disc, and the sprightly ways and bright
looks of the inmates were proof beyond
dispute, of comfort, health and rapid
growth.
By-and-by winter came. The shed
was required for sheep, and the pigs
were shut IN a large building with a
lot of straw put in one corner for a
bed, and the rest Of the space for a
feeding place, and other uses natural
to the pigs. Outside of the bed and
around the troughs the place soon
became muddy, and this wet and mud
dy condition soon extended over the
bed; and if a new lot of straw was
thrown upon it, in one day it would be-
come saturated. Here the pigs would
pile upon each other, and the steam
would rise from the mass of uncomforta-
bic and struggling animals until each
one was hot and wet.
The pigs were fed twice as much grain
as they had had while in the field and
shed. but still there was no visible gain.
They all looked gaunt and staring. In
few weeks they began to cough and
some OF them to pant showing an af-
fection of the lungs, OF at least more
Or less congestion. Not long after the
weaklings began to die. They would
be found under the pile, smothered.
These cases of death were not those of
cholera, but of a disorder known as
stupidity. It is a disease which RACES
among the owners of live stock more
than with the animals, but unfortun-
ately the animals suffer the most. This
man got the scales off his eyes, saw
things as they were, and reasoned out
a better plan.
He put the pigs in lots of five, grad
eel according to size. He gave each lot
a pen by themselves, and room to eat
and move about, in one place, and a
bed in another. The bed was always
Try and the place warm. The pigs
which were not too far gone recovered,
and the rest began to grow and did
we'll. Here are practical lessons,
which apply the year over, and the eread-
81 can Judge regarding them. A more
careless man., and one Indifferent to
the comfort of his animals, would have
left things as they were, and no doubt
would have lost all his pigs in short
time. There are many cases of just
such management with hogs which re-
suit fatally, and are ascribed to cholera
Dr. some contagious disorder.
I am satisfied that hogs should not
be kept in hot or close place, or in o.
basement where the manure is put. A
farmer recently consulted me about
putting his hog-pens under his barn in
an extended basement. His plan was
to drop all of the manure from the
barn and COW stables into this base
ment, and let the hogs live on it and
work it over.
This would make the place damp
and more or less wet under foot, the
very conditions unsuited to swine, as it
was the intention of the owner to wall
it all in, SO that it would not freeze. It
is not necessary that pig-house should
not freeze, but it is necessary that the
air should be free from dampness and
The chilliness which is connected with
a cellar or warm. damp place. Hogs
are very susceptible to colds, both in.
ward and outward, and to rheum atism.
believe it is a law, which cannot be
broken with impunity, that the human
species will become sick when confined
to damp quarters. The results are jus,
the same with swine. The air must be
dry and pure; above ground is the only
place to keep hogs. Hogs do not mind
The cold, if they can be dry and clean,
and can get into a good bed where
they cam partially cover themselves
The bed should always be located where
.ao drafts or currents of air will blow
upon them. They never do we'll wher
this is the case, and much of the sick
ness of hogs is due to such exposure.
A H.. .